Magnetic tunnel junctions can be used as memory elements in magnetic random access memory (“MRAM”) devices. MRAM has lower power consumption than short-term memory such as DRAM, SRAM and Flash memory. MRAM can perform read and write operations much faster (by orders of magnitude) than conventional long-term storage devices such as hard drives. In addition, MRAM is more compact and consumes less power than hard drives.
Magnetic tunnel junctions can be used as magnetic sensors in read heads of hard disk drives. The magnetic tunnel junctions can generate stronger signals than giant magnetoresistive devices and other conventional devices.
A conventional magnetic tunnel junction includes a pinned ferromagnetic layer, a free ferromagnetic layer and an insulating tunnel barrier sandwiched between the ferromagnetic layers. Relative orientation and magnitude of spin polarization of the ferromagnetic layers determine the resistance of the magnetic tunnel junction. Generally, a magnetic tunnel junction has a nominal resistance (RN) when its magnetization orientation is parallel, and a higher resistance (RN+ΔRN) when its magnetization orientation is anti-parallel.
A logic value may be stored in a magnetic tunnel junction by setting the magnetic tunnel junction to a desired magnetization orientation; and the logic value may be read by sensing the resistance state of the magnetic tunnel junction. However, it can be difficult to distinguish between the two resistance states.
It would be desirable to improve the ability to distinguish between the resistance states. Improving this ability could improve MRAM performance, reduce fabrication cost, and reduce the complexity of read operations.